mita

Qld Country Women's Association (CWA) is collecting necessities for the people devastated by floods in the country areas & small country towns. Greyhound Bus Company have offered to transport the items (free). Members of the CWA who know local communities well, will then distribute them to people in need. Items needed are brand-new sheets, pillows, towels, baby needs, personal hygiene products, cleaning products, insect repellents. (No aerosols & flammables) If you want to donate an item or two, you can pass them to the CWA at their Brisbane Headquarters, Ruth Fairfax House, 89-95 Gregory Terrace, Spring Hill. Or there are CWA groups around the Brisbane area. You can find the nearest one by phoning the CWA Headquarters on (07) 3026 1219 http://www.qcwa.org.au/

Our big question was, why the mirroring behaviour was so strong in the shelties. But not there at all in the tibbies. My speculation was, did it have to do with the fact the shelties are a herding breed???? And dogs, when herding, kind of work together with each other's body language??? Tibbies have great bonding in a group of their own breed. They're very tribal. My tibbies can pick out a car parked hundreds of metres away that has a tibbie in it. But I've never seen that specific mirroring behaviour among them. Shelties? All the time. :D

Funny you should ask! We used to notice, a great deal, that our 2 shelties would mirror each other. They'd be snoozing, yet both would be lying in exactly the same position. Like flat out on side with legs stretched out, or curled around, or whatever. We even used those words to describe what they'd do....mirroring each other. They're weren't litter mates & weren't related. But their 'mirroring' was as if they were identical twins. We don't notice tibbies doing it at all. But it was very pronounced with the shelties.

Good to know they're all safe at the uni at Gatton. After seeing those horrendous, raging flood waters, I can well believe there'll be a mounting toll.

Here's a list of pics & descriptions on the Lockyer Council website of lost pets (dogs, cats, birds) presently impounded. Look at where a number were found, & the dates. Grantham, in the days following the tragedy that hit hard there. I wonder if these pets have actually been located at uni at Gatton. Heaven knows if their owners made it out, or didn't. http://www.lockyervalley.qld.gov.au/commun...ol/lost-a-found

For those working directly with people/groups presently helping directly with pets needing food, this is on the AWL Qld site: Thanks to the generous support of Mars Pet Foods, AWLQ is ab le to offer pet food to flood-affected communities. ...call 5509 9000 Also RSPCA Qld shelter at Fairfield was pretty wrecked. Right now, they're asking for physical help to come aid recovery. Up to the stage of heavy lifting and use of power tools. You can fill in the forms there, that's being required by the council for all volunteering. General information on this site: http://qldfloodanimals.weebly.com/ Offers of direct help are here: http://qldfloodanimals.weebly.com/offers-of-help.html

I don't know if it still exists, but in the past UQ Vet Clinic used to have a fund for emergency work done on strays brought in. It was a great way to honour a loved pet that had passed, by donating to that fund, in memory. We did when our 22 yr old dog died ( a patient at UQ clinic). From UQ News,15 January. Vice-Chancellor prof. Paul Greenfield: “UQ Gatton was isolated for a few days, but is now up and running and will host an evacuation centre for people from Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley regions. “Animal welfare has been a priority at UQ Gatton throughout the flood, and the School of Veterinary Science is now an animal rescue centre for the region.”

Boris the Shih Tzu came to spend Christmas with the people next door. They own a Tibetan Spaniel, Lily. Boris had just been clipped & looked a very handsome little guy. Lily is normally a tibbie tragic... only likes other Tibetan Spaniels. When dogs come to visit at her place, she leaves home & comes over to our place. But she thought Boris was fantastic & turned into his groupie. Her owners said she had the blues for days after Boris went home. We think that Lily believed the clipped Boris was a fellow Tibetan Spaniel. He sure had many of the characteristics of the little eastern dogs. Great little bloke. By the way, Boris the Shih Tzu picked out a home & family for himself. He used to live next door to his present owners. But he loved their children (who are truly marvellous with animals) and their mum & dad (ditto). So he kept digging under the side fence to come join them. Every time his escape hatches were blocked, Boris would find another way. Eventually his original owners came to a deal. Boris so obviously wanted to be part of the family next door, that they handed him over, for keeps. Boris has never tried to go anywhere else ever again. Very happy, he is, with his choice of family.

I'm happy to go with the spending decisions of you & people on the spot, SB. I was just tempted to go over to our K Mart & get some collars & leads and send them to you. But by the time they'd get there, the animals' needs might have changed. So I'll continue to watch for your & FM's advice on current need. I can always then top up my donation.

By coincidence, I just put my donation in the mail... & I nearly wrote I'd be happy if it were spent on something like collars & leads (if they've got plenty of food). The dogs at the uni, in the TV clip, didn't seem to be wearing collars. Thanks again, for collecting, SB. You & people like FM are in direct contact with the uni people & others in the evac centres, and their needs.

It's so good to be able to help, when those looking after the pets, the vet uni staff at Gatton, are saying exactly what they need. And any money raised will buy exactly that. For anyone who missed the other thread, this is what donations are helping. And the numbers have gone up heaps since this article. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/...0114-19qji.html

Have PMed.

I'll have what the Dalai Lama is having. Tibetan Spaniels (check out those hare feet!). For the same reason. It's said Tibbies are 1/3 dog, 1/3 cat & 1/3 monkey. That captures their personalities & how they behave, perfectly. They're such a delight & so easy to own.

I'm glad you posted this. Our shelties were definitely not totally outside dogs. They had a large, weather-proof secure verandah deck, with doggie door access to a grassy courtyard for going to the toot. And another doggie door into the house. A large backyard, too, for running-free play. We also owned a Cardigan Corgi and she had these same living arrangements.

No wonder I have respect for the registered breeders I've come across. First reply, from an american registered breeder, on hearing there was a flood relief fund for queensland registered breeders. ' Is there a way foreigners can contribute to this fund?' The international list for breeders of my breed of interest, had headed their enquiry 'Australian friends.' Sometimes a hat being handed around, travels some distance. But close in spirit.

How on earth can it be a slight on any other organisation that Dogs Qld is setting up a fund to help members badly affected by these floods? Many organisations will be passing the hat around for its members or employees or whatever. It's not surprising that a notice about this Dogs Qld fund-raising would appear in a DOL forum. After all, it's connected with the Dogzonline Purebred Community website. As I've said, we're dividing our donations across a few organisations. Not because they're in competition with each other. But because they're involved with different sets of tasks for dogs and/or other animals. And we'd like to support those tasks by donating. They also fit a criterion,in this case, of being Qld-based & on the spot. Dogs Qld fund will be one... out of my respect for the decent things that I've already seen/experienced Qld registered breeders do, for dogs.

I think the OP asked a very good question! And I've got lots of tips from answers so far. Like, that's a great idea about the stable doors. Saves using baby gates. When we renovated, we added dog-friendly things, like polished floors in most rooms with cotton mats that can be washed. Also a weather-proof back deck/verandah, where the dogs could be secure. With a doggie door leading down into a secure little courtyard for going to the toot. But it'd be great building a whole house from scratch & incorporating dog (& cat) needs.

Ishy, there's a Facebook page, Qld Floods Pet Options, where people are posting all sorts of offers to help pets & their owners. There was even someone, who's part of a group, offering to look after fish. So maybe you could post what you're offering or keep an eye on requests, there. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Queensland-F...34345627?v=wall There's another page specifically for horses.

I'll be donating to the Dogs Qld fund. I'm not a breeder myself, but I've gained from the work of registered breeders I respect. In the person of gorgeous p/b pets. Three of whom were dogs from sad circumstances, where decent breeders had stepped in, to care for. I've also had concerns for registered breeders in these floods, because they have more dogs to try to save than a pet owner like me. Logistics would be enormous. So Dogs Qld will get a generous donation from us. We've already given a generous donation to RSPCA Qld at the time of setting up shelter facilities in Rockhampton. And will probably do the same for Best Friends Rescue (SE Qld) who took great initiative in going to visit the evacuation centre, with items pet owners might need. And are prepared to keep tabs on these needs & to get word around about offers of help.

The greyhounds next door are big, loving creatures who enjoy lying on a couch & watching TV. And coming to the fence for lots of pats & cuddles. They're champion racers with a doting owner! Our tibetan spaniels, who'd be about the size of Rigby, are their best friends.

Yes, I read somewhere (Facebook?) someone had been to the Fairfield Shelter & things seem OK for the moment. The RSPCA is still asking people if they'll offer to foster people's pets. Via email [email protected] I guess it'd depend on each case how to get them to a foster-carer, the pet may come direct from the owner. On the Facebook page about Pet Options, some people are offering to transport, when they can't foster. Also mentions there that a group is forming specifically to help with horses. It's worth following that Pet Options page on Facebook. Lots of information coming thro'. Like, person from Best Friends Rescue is taking items to pet owners at the evacuation centre (RNA Showgrounds) & will get an idea of what's needed. Also RSPCA messages come up there. They're asking people not to phone them with offers, to keep system open. But for people to email offers, as above. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Queensland-F...34345627?v=wall

So pleased to hear that. Those showgrounds have the dog pavilion. So there'd be plenty of space. Also the RSPCA main shelter at Fairfield is in danger of going under. They've asked for offers of foster-care for the animals. Thread is here in General Discussion. http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=213040 Also Minny has posted in the Rescue section a Facebook page where people are posting offers to take in pets (& in some cases, people too). http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...p;#entry5078996 Update: RSPCA Qld has posted on Facebook asking for offers of fostercare in flood affected areas. Email [email protected]

Thank you for posting this. I'll be registering & passing word around. Update: RSPCA'S since posted on Facebook asking for offers to foster in the flood affected areas. Email: [email protected]

I'm looking out for posts for any calls for practical help...or items like dog crates.

Mita & family safe in north-western suburb. We're on high ground.